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Rebecca, Dog Veterinarian

Category: Dog

Satisfied Customers: 15996

Experience: Veterinarian for more than 30 years

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my dog has a few problems thyroid she is on Thyforon, Metacam

Customer Question

my dog has a few problems thyroid she is on Thyforon, Metacam and tramadol for bad back legs/ knees now she has been piddling for about 4 weeks day and night the vet has done tests for kidney and diabetes they are clear after looking her symptoms on line weeing, wanting eating to much and drinking it has come up as she may have Cushings my vet wants to do another test which will cost around £100.00 I have already spent £180 on tests and still don't no whats wrong with her someone else suggested it may be Diabetes Insipidus I love my girl she is 8 yrs old but I am not quite sure what to do as I cant afford to keep having these test done please could you give me some advise. about 3 months ago she had a nasty urinary tract infection where she had blood in urine and I think low in white blood cells she had some very strong anitbiotics I hope this will help Thank you Sharon

The first thing I would to before any other tests is a urinalysis to be sure that the urinary infection she had is gone, and that a persistent infection is not the cause of these symptoms.

Rebecca :

You can also have a test done on the urine, called a UCCR test for urine creatinine cortisol ratio, that will tell you if it is likely she has Cushing's disease. If a UCCR test is negative, she does not have it. If a UCCR test is positive, she probably does, but more testing is needed to confirm it.

Rebecca :

Diabetes insipidus is a rare disease. It is easily ruled out, by testing the first urine sample of the morning for concentration. If the USG, urine specific gravity, a measure of concentration, is higher than 1.020 (normal is usually 1.035 or higher), she does not have DI.

Rebecca :

I hope you can see what I am writing! I am not seeing responses from you.

Customer:

they took another urinary sample but clear for infection when she pees it looks like clear water from tap.

Rebecca :

Cushings is a complicated disease, and there are more than one type. You have to figure out which type, before knowing the treatment. The medication is expensive, and you have to do blood tests regularly to manage it. There is no easy, quick, and inexpensive way to diagnose or treat it. I sure wish there was, I seem to be seeing more and more of it.

Rebecca :

If the urine is that clear, she either has diabetes insipidus (very rare, but easy to rule out by checking the specific gravity, a simple test) or she is drinking too much water (Cushing's, kidney disease, high blood calcium, liver disease, many causes). It would help if I could see the urine and blood tests that were done.

Customer:

She had a dry night last night and has not peed in her bed so far today yesterday she didn't stop peeing is the UCCR urine test expensive?

Rebecca :

At my clinic it is about $70, not sure what that is in pounds.

Rebecca :

Looks like around 40 pounds

Rebecca :

But that is my lab, here in the US.

Rebecca :

And that is just the first baby step in dealing with Cushings.

Rebecca :

Do you know if the blood tests showed an elevated liver enzyme at all? Usually with Cushing's, a liver enzyme called ALKP is very high.

Rebecca :

But not always. That is the problem with Cushing's, it can be very variable. There is no one test that proves it, although the UCCR test does rule it out if it is negative.

Customer:

She hasn't drunk that much this morning we have had a bit of a heat wave here in England and they thought it was because of hot weather but it has now cooled down I can at least go to my Vet armed with a bit more information and ask to do UCCR see what that comes back and then decide from there, if it is negative then we can go down another route I just feel my vet is going to do more expensive test first.

Rebecca :

The UCCR is where I usually start. If it is negative, we can spend our money looking elsewhere.

Rebecca :

Has she been tested to see if her thyroid disease is under control, that her levels are normal? Getting too much thyroid supplement can make a dog drink and urinate a lot.

Customer:

Yes I agree thank you for all information I feel a bit more positive for her but I'm afraid I haven't got a bottomless pit of money and as I live on my own there's only so much I can pay out.

Rebecca :

You are welcome.

Rebecca :

Is there anything else I can answer?

Customer:

No thank you very grateful for all info Sharon

Rebecca :

You are welcome.

Rebecca :

Kindly consider rating my answer, but only if all your questions have been answered.

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